New York Times bestselling author turned TV creator Taiye Selasi captivated a packed theater at the Joburg Film Festival this week, acknowledging that the deck is stacked against Black female creators in Hollywood, but insisting that the power of African women remained in their ability to overcome any obstacle in bringing their stories to the screen. “There is nothing that can stop, has ever stopped, or will ever, ever stop an African woman,” she declared to a rapt audience.
Selasi spoke in front of a full house at Johannesburg’s Theater on the Square on Friday as part of a day-long celebration of African women in film. During a rousing session in which she shared lessons from her experience at the helm of Cocoa Content, the TV production company she founded in 2019, Selasi weighed in on the growing demand for African talent in Hollywood while also unpacking the “hype” about...
Selasi spoke in front of a full house at Johannesburg’s Theater on the Square on Friday as part of a day-long celebration of African women in film. During a rousing session in which she shared lessons from her experience at the helm of Cocoa Content, the TV production company she founded in 2019, Selasi weighed in on the growing demand for African talent in Hollywood while also unpacking the “hype” about...
- 2/5/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
How do you prepare students for an entertainment industry in a constant state of flux? For some, the answer is LED walls. Schools ranging from Chapman to Cal State Northridge are doubling down on digital production in an effort to prepare their students for industry. And while rising tuition costs have would-be filmmakers worried, schools are increasing scholarships or offering fully funded MFAs.
These 25(ish) programs offer students the best chance at navigating Hollywood’s changing terrain.
1. American Film Institute
Los Angeles
The prestigious graduate program consistently churns out Oscar winners, including Coda director and 2022 Oscar winner Sian Heder, and blockbuster directors, and has made an effort to diversify its student body. Over half of the incoming students are women, and nearly half are filmmakers of color — all are eligible for new funds like the Halyna Hutchins Memorial Scholarship. This year, AFI’s...
How do you prepare students for an entertainment industry in a constant state of flux? For some, the answer is LED walls. Schools ranging from Chapman to Cal State Northridge are doubling down on digital production in an effort to prepare their students for industry. And while rising tuition costs have would-be filmmakers worried, schools are increasing scholarships or offering fully funded MFAs.
These 25(ish) programs offer students the best chance at navigating Hollywood’s changing terrain.
1. American Film Institute
Los Angeles
The prestigious graduate program consistently churns out Oscar winners, including Coda director and 2022 Oscar winner Sian Heder, and blockbuster directors, and has made an effort to diversify its student body. Over half of the incoming students are women, and nearly half are filmmakers of color — all are eligible for new funds like the Halyna Hutchins Memorial Scholarship. This year, AFI’s...
- 8/5/2022
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: The Sundance Institute has named Briana “Bree” Nieves (Arise! My Beloved), Naveen Chaubal (Pinball), Dillon Chitto (Pigeon), Kyle Casey Chu (Go Back Home), Kristine Gerolaga (Lamok), Osinachi Ibe (Tales From Under the Sun), Arielle Knight (Counting Down), J Mase III (The Black Trans Prayer Book), April Maxey (Work) and Phumi Morare (There Is Salt In The Water) as the fellows and projects for its 2022 Uprise Grant Fund.
The grant supporting the livelihood and career sustainability of Bipoc emerging artists was founded in 2021 to help storytellers disproportionately harmed by the Covid pandemic. Those selected this year will receive 10,000 each, along with access to community-building artist development activities such as peer mentorship through monthly fellow meetings, as they develop their projects. Participants will be supported year-round so they can sustain a creative practice, helping to amplify critical stories and intersectional voices during a time when they are most needed.
“The Institute...
The grant supporting the livelihood and career sustainability of Bipoc emerging artists was founded in 2021 to help storytellers disproportionately harmed by the Covid pandemic. Those selected this year will receive 10,000 each, along with access to community-building artist development activities such as peer mentorship through monthly fellow meetings, as they develop their projects. Participants will be supported year-round so they can sustain a creative practice, helping to amplify critical stories and intersectional voices during a time when they are most needed.
“The Institute...
- 7/14/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Film Independent has set Lanre Olabisi (A Storybook Ending), Sari Arambulo (Family Style), Sanford Jenkins (Joy and Pain), Rob Connolly (Lavender Country), Elise H. Greven (Silent Spring) and Phumi Morare (There is Salt in the Water) as the participants and projects for its 2022 Screenwriting Lab/
All of of this year’s participants are from communities underrepresented in film and half the participants are women. Over the course of the intensive program, they will workshop their feature projects under the guidance of creative advisors Javier Fuentes-León, Pamela Ribon, Ellen Shanman, Robin Swicord, and Christopher Makoto Yogi. Additional guest speakers and advisors will include Ruth Atkinson, Alex Camilleri, Angela Cheng Caplan, Kd Davila, Matthew Dy, Greta Fuentes, Sam Intili, Amanda Marshall, Alex Moratto, Sheila Hanahan Taylor and Elliott Whitton.
Film Independent also announced today that the inaugural Hyde Park Entertainment & Warner Music Group Screenwriting Fellowship is being awarded to Arambulo, who will...
All of of this year’s participants are from communities underrepresented in film and half the participants are women. Over the course of the intensive program, they will workshop their feature projects under the guidance of creative advisors Javier Fuentes-León, Pamela Ribon, Ellen Shanman, Robin Swicord, and Christopher Makoto Yogi. Additional guest speakers and advisors will include Ruth Atkinson, Alex Camilleri, Angela Cheng Caplan, Kd Davila, Matthew Dy, Greta Fuentes, Sam Intili, Amanda Marshall, Alex Moratto, Sheila Hanahan Taylor and Elliott Whitton.
Film Independent also announced today that the inaugural Hyde Park Entertainment & Warner Music Group Screenwriting Fellowship is being awarded to Arambulo, who will...
- 3/18/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
WarnerMedia OneFifty has acquired the short films, “Namoo” and “When the Sun Sets,” to be released on HBO Max.
Both films are shortlisted to be nominated for the 2022 Academy Awards, with “Namoo” as a contender in the animated short film category and “When the Sun Sets” in the live-action short film category. The nominations will be formally announced on Feb. 8.
“WarnerMedia’s ‘artist studio where innovation happens,’ OneFifty has built a track record of identifying incredible artists whose vision we believe in, and acquiring their extraordinary, groundbreaking content. We are excited to continue working with these filmmakers for many years to come,” Axel Caballero, Vice President of Arts & Cultural Innovations and Head of WarnerMedia OneFifty, said in a statement announcing the acquisitions.
Leslie Cohen, senior vice president of film acquisitions for HBO/HBO Max, finalized the deals for both titles. Amanda Trokan, HBO Max director of content acquisitions, worked on...
Both films are shortlisted to be nominated for the 2022 Academy Awards, with “Namoo” as a contender in the animated short film category and “When the Sun Sets” in the live-action short film category. The nominations will be formally announced on Feb. 8.
“WarnerMedia’s ‘artist studio where innovation happens,’ OneFifty has built a track record of identifying incredible artists whose vision we believe in, and acquiring their extraordinary, groundbreaking content. We are excited to continue working with these filmmakers for many years to come,” Axel Caballero, Vice President of Arts & Cultural Innovations and Head of WarnerMedia OneFifty, said in a statement announcing the acquisitions.
Leslie Cohen, senior vice president of film acquisitions for HBO/HBO Max, finalized the deals for both titles. Amanda Trokan, HBO Max director of content acquisitions, worked on...
- 1/26/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies from film awards editor Clayton Davis. Following history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar and Emmy predictions are updated regularly with the current year's list of contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. The eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and is subject to change.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Oscars Collective
Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Oscars Hub
Revisit the prediction archive of the 2021 season The Archive
Link to television awards is atTHE Emmys Hub
2022 Oscars Predictions:
Best Live Action Short
Updated: Dec 23, 2021
Awards Prediction Commentary: It always helps to have one of...
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Oscars Collective
Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Oscars Hub
Revisit the prediction archive of the 2021 season The Archive
Link to television awards is atTHE Emmys Hub
2022 Oscars Predictions:
Best Live Action Short
Updated: Dec 23, 2021
Awards Prediction Commentary: It always helps to have one of...
- 12/23/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
In October, Phumi Morare became one of only 17 filmmakers — and one of only two Black filmmakers — to win a 2021 Student Academy Award, in her case, the gold prize for best narrative film from a domestic film school for Lakutshon’ Ilanga (When the Sun Sets), which was her thesis film en route to receiving her Mfa in Film Directing at Dodge College at Chapman University in 2020. The 34-year-old South African’s production re-creates an Apartheid-era crisis experienced by her mother. It previously screened at the Telluride Film Festival and was recognized with a BAFTA Award nomination. Now,...
- 12/7/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In October, Phumi Morare became one of only 17 filmmakers — and one of only two Black filmmakers — to win a 2021 Student Academy Award, in her case, the gold prize for best narrative film from a domestic film school for Lakutshon’ Ilanga (When the Sun Sets), which was her thesis film en route to receiving her Mfa in Film Directing at Dodge College at Chapman University in 2020. The 34-year-old South African’s production re-creates an Apartheid-era crisis experienced by her mother. It previously screened at the Telluride Film Festival and was recognized with a BAFTA Award nomination. Now,...
- 12/7/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the 17 winners of the 48th Student Academy Awards competition.
This year’s winners were voted on from a group of 1,404 submissions from 210 domestic and 126 international colleges and universities. Previous Student Academy Award winners include Patricia Cardoso, Cary Fukunaga, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis.
The gold, silver and bronze awards across the seven categories will be presented by directors Pete Docter, Asghar Farhadi, Marielle Heller and Nanfu Wang. The Academy will hold a virtual program to honor the winners. Amandla Stenberg will host.
All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for Oscars in the best animated short film, best live action short film and best documentary short subject categories.
Here is the full list of winners.
Alternative/Experimental (Domestic and International Film Schools)
Gold: “Frozen Out,” Hao Zhou, University of Iowa
Animation (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: “Unforgotten,...
This year’s winners were voted on from a group of 1,404 submissions from 210 domestic and 126 international colleges and universities. Previous Student Academy Award winners include Patricia Cardoso, Cary Fukunaga, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis.
The gold, silver and bronze awards across the seven categories will be presented by directors Pete Docter, Asghar Farhadi, Marielle Heller and Nanfu Wang. The Academy will hold a virtual program to honor the winners. Amandla Stenberg will host.
All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for Oscars in the best animated short film, best live action short film and best documentary short subject categories.
Here is the full list of winners.
Alternative/Experimental (Domestic and International Film Schools)
Gold: “Frozen Out,” Hao Zhou, University of Iowa
Animation (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: “Unforgotten,...
- 10/21/2021
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted 17 students as winners of the 48th Student Academy Awards competition.
The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards in the seven award categories will be presented today by Oscar-winning filmmaker and 1992 Student Academy Award winner Pete Docter, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, and filmmakers Marielle Heller and Nanfu Wang in a virtual program highlighting the winners and their films.
This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received a total of 1,404 submissions from 210 domestic and 126 international colleges and universities. The 2021 winners join the ranks of such past Student Academy Award winners as Patricia Cardoso, Cary Fukunaga, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis. Hosted by Amandla Stenberg, the 2021 ceremony is now available to view here.
The 2021 Student Academy Award medalists are:
Alternative/Experimental (Domestic and International Film Schools)
Gold: “Frozen Out,” Hao Zhou, University of Iowa
Animation (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: “Unforgotten,” Sujin Kim,...
The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards in the seven award categories will be presented today by Oscar-winning filmmaker and 1992 Student Academy Award winner Pete Docter, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, and filmmakers Marielle Heller and Nanfu Wang in a virtual program highlighting the winners and their films.
This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received a total of 1,404 submissions from 210 domestic and 126 international colleges and universities. The 2021 winners join the ranks of such past Student Academy Award winners as Patricia Cardoso, Cary Fukunaga, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis. Hosted by Amandla Stenberg, the 2021 ceremony is now available to view here.
The 2021 Student Academy Award medalists are:
Alternative/Experimental (Domestic and International Film Schools)
Gold: “Frozen Out,” Hao Zhou, University of Iowa
Animation (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: “Unforgotten,” Sujin Kim,...
- 10/21/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Tribeca and Chanel have set participants, masterclass advisors, mentors and jurors for their seventh annual Through Her Lens program, supporting women filmmakers, announcing that it will take place from October 12-14.
The creatives and short film projects chosen for the three-day mentorship program, designed to provide industry support, artistic development and funding to “emerging U.S. based self-identifying women and non-binary writers and directors,” include director Annalise Lockhart and writer/producer Mary Glen Fredrick (Anything Valuable), writer/director Maya Tanaka and producer Shuchi Talati (Honolulu), director Caroline Lindy and writer/producer Kate Hamilton (How Did I Get Here), writer/director Tiye Amenechi and producer Satchel Lee (Night Bloom), and writer/director Phumi Morare (Why the Cattle Wait).
Each will benefit from a combination if virtual and in-person, one-on-one mentorship—along with masterclasses focused on script-to-screen development, music composition, costume design, producing, and directing—working with mentors to shape and refine their pitches and projects.
The creatives and short film projects chosen for the three-day mentorship program, designed to provide industry support, artistic development and funding to “emerging U.S. based self-identifying women and non-binary writers and directors,” include director Annalise Lockhart and writer/producer Mary Glen Fredrick (Anything Valuable), writer/director Maya Tanaka and producer Shuchi Talati (Honolulu), director Caroline Lindy and writer/producer Kate Hamilton (How Did I Get Here), writer/director Tiye Amenechi and producer Satchel Lee (Night Bloom), and writer/director Phumi Morare (Why the Cattle Wait).
Each will benefit from a combination if virtual and in-person, one-on-one mentorship—along with masterclasses focused on script-to-screen development, music composition, costume design, producing, and directing—working with mentors to shape and refine their pitches and projects.
- 10/12/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The seventh annual Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program kicks off today with a hybrid edition featuring both virtual and in-person events.
The three-day event allows program finalists working on five films to participate in one-on-one mentorship and masterclasses focused on script-to-screen development, music composition, costume design, producing and directing.
The Leadership Committee includes Amy Schumer, Gayle King, Marlee Matlin, Paula Weinstein, Ali Adler, Melissa Barrera, Kay Cannon, Jacqueline Durran, Misha Green, Soo Hugh, Zoe Lister-Jones, Laura Karpman, Leslie Mann, Tina Mabry, Adepero Oduye, Frida Torresblanco, DeWanda Wise and Maria Zuckerman.
Program finalists include Annalise Lockhart and Mary Glen Fredrick (“Anything Valuable”), Maya Tanaka and Shuchi Talati (“Honolulu”), Caroline Lindy and Kate Hamilton (“How Did I Get Here”), Tiye Amenechi and Satchel Lee (“Night Bloom”) and Phumi Morare (‘Why the Cattle Wait”).
One team will receive full financing to produce their short film with support from Tribeca Studios.
The three-day event allows program finalists working on five films to participate in one-on-one mentorship and masterclasses focused on script-to-screen development, music composition, costume design, producing and directing.
The Leadership Committee includes Amy Schumer, Gayle King, Marlee Matlin, Paula Weinstein, Ali Adler, Melissa Barrera, Kay Cannon, Jacqueline Durran, Misha Green, Soo Hugh, Zoe Lister-Jones, Laura Karpman, Leslie Mann, Tina Mabry, Adepero Oduye, Frida Torresblanco, DeWanda Wise and Maria Zuckerman.
Program finalists include Annalise Lockhart and Mary Glen Fredrick (“Anything Valuable”), Maya Tanaka and Shuchi Talati (“Honolulu”), Caroline Lindy and Kate Hamilton (“How Did I Get Here”), Tiye Amenechi and Satchel Lee (“Night Bloom”) and Phumi Morare (‘Why the Cattle Wait”).
One team will receive full financing to produce their short film with support from Tribeca Studios.
- 10/12/2021
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Creative Artists Agency announced on Tuesday that the sixth edition of their Moebius Film Festival will take place June 9-10.
The two-day virtual screening series, spotlighting diverse graduate filmmakers, will welcome talent from AFI, CalArts, UCLA, USC and Chapman University. 12 directors will be represented, from six countries.
Their live-action and animated programming will be livestreamed on the 9th and 10th beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pst. As has been the case in past years, CAA agents will be on hand for the event, to mentor the filmmakers. Professionals from various major agencies, management companies, production companies, studios, networks and streamers are expected to be in attendance, as well.
CAA Moebius was founded in 2015 by then-trainees and now CAA Motion Picture agents Christina Chou, Zach Kaplan, and Pete Stein, in concert with Lingie Park. The festival is produced through a collaboration of colleagues across CAA’s Motion Pictures department. Its notable...
The two-day virtual screening series, spotlighting diverse graduate filmmakers, will welcome talent from AFI, CalArts, UCLA, USC and Chapman University. 12 directors will be represented, from six countries.
Their live-action and animated programming will be livestreamed on the 9th and 10th beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pst. As has been the case in past years, CAA agents will be on hand for the event, to mentor the filmmakers. Professionals from various major agencies, management companies, production companies, studios, networks and streamers are expected to be in attendance, as well.
CAA Moebius was founded in 2015 by then-trainees and now CAA Motion Picture agents Christina Chou, Zach Kaplan, and Pete Stein, in concert with Lingie Park. The festival is produced through a collaboration of colleagues across CAA’s Motion Pictures department. Its notable...
- 6/9/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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